Much needed cash flow idea

What if you offered your customers a one time monetary discount if they pay online within 10 days of receipt, say $2.00 You could set up a pay now button thru PayPal on your web site This would entice customers to view your website and become familiar with it You would have a valid email address for future sales promotions And generate much needed cash flow for your season start up quickly Does anybody use the back side of their invoice as a sales billboard? Anybody have any suggestions on this? Tom

Lawn care business tips

How about some examples on setting this up. I have set up on my site but Paypal only allows paying for a one set price or multilpe fixed payments. In other words, it appeared to me that I could set up payments in distinct levels (25.00, 50.00, 75.00 etc.). Then the customer would have to select which level payment they want to pay for. As we have different levels for a great majority of our customers, it makes it difficult. Unless there is a way to allow the customer to pay exactly the amount they want to pay and enter their own numbers. Also, our customers most likely don't want to open a PayPal account, but would rather just enter their banking or credit card info and pay. Plus if they pay using paypal, don't they get a service fee, then we get a service fee also? Not sure what the % is, but in time I am sure it adds up. Not sure a 2.00 discount takes care of that or not. If there is a way to do this, I must have missed it. Any guidence would be greatly appreciated.

[Steve]

It seems from what we have discussed in other topics, there are more fees associated with the use of paypal.

Tom do you have or have you considered setting up a merchant account?

Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] ]What if you offered your customers a one time monetary discount if they pay online within 10 days of receipt, say $2.00

Would you prefer your customers pay with credit card?

If so you could possibly offer one free mowing at the end of the season if they choose to pay each month by credit card.

Would something like that help?

[tjgray]

There is no fee for paying for things using a paypal account. I use mine to order and pay for stuff online all of the time.

We do have to pay a fee for each payment we recieve but it is not much and worth it to me to be able to offer my customers the conveinance of paying with their credit or debit cards.

JM I am not sure why yours appears to only accept one set price or multilpe fixed payments??? Our customers are able to pay exactly the amount they want to pay and enter their own numbers.

And whenever I use it which I do often I am always able to add in just what I want to pay...

I would check your options again maybe you have something set that shouldn't be???

[Steve]

What % of your client base pays through paypal? What % would ou like to have them pay through paypal?

[tjgray]

Ideal would be for our customers to all put a check in the mail as soon as they recieve their invoice or at the very least leave a check in a pre-determined spot for the next time we are out...

Buuuut,

I have a handful that I am always having to send an email reminder too and having the paypal option helps me to be able to collect a little easier

This idea came from outside the box thinking and my goal was to attract some, if not all of my spring clean up clients to visit my site.
As a bonus, they would be able to pay thru paypal and then receive future email discount coupons for future services. This appeals to some, not all and getting them to trust paypal and set up an account will be a win for me.
I haven't taken CC's before and haven't asked my clients if it was favorable to them. This too would be valuable info gained

I'm trying many different marketing ideas as they become apparent and before I spend any money, I want to test the ideas.

At the very least, the paypal idea wont cost me a dime if it fails and hopefully open up more creative marketing ideas.

Tom

[Steve]

Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] ]At the very least, the paypal idea wont cost me a dime if it fails and hopefully open up more creative marketing ideas.

That is a very good point.

Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] ]This idea came from outside the box thinking and my goal was to attract some, if not all of my spring clean up clients to visit my site.

Off the top of my head, what do I think would get customers to visit your site? Well maybe if they knew there were different coupons that were placed up throughout the month. Maybe they were up for a limited time and only applied to a limited amount who called. Say for instance, the first 3 customers who call for a spring yard cleaning will also get a free gutter vacuuming? Or a free planting of some flowers or something like that.

Also they might come to your site if it was a reference point to find information about something they were interested in. Maybe they want to learn more about lawn diseases and how you resolve them.

You can find the options to accept credit cards without your customers having to sign up for a PayPal account. In fact, you can set up your PayPal account to actually allow you to take credit card payments via phone!

I think you have to be signed up for a business PayPal account...

[quote=[b]Quote[/b] (Team Gopher @ Dec. 20 2007,10:37)]

If so you could possibly offer one free mowing at the end of the season if they choose to pay each month by credit card.

This is one of the smartest ideas i have heard in a while, guess thats why your here steve to keep us all thinking VERY GOOD THOUGHT! I am going to use it!

Thanks Tim